Read Me a Story
by pandajenn
Summary: When Danni has a nightmare, she seeks comfort from Danny and a late night bedtime story.


"No no!" Danni shouted out in her sleep, tossing and turning under her covers. "NO!" she shouted once more, just before bolting upward. Clutching the sheets, she took a quick glance of her surroundings and sighed in relief as she wiped the bead of sweat from her forehead. "It was only a deam."

She took another paranoid glance at the guest room, before trotting quietly out the door.

Upstairs, Danny was fast asleep. The clock on his nightstand read 1:00 AM. The boy snored away in bliss as a pear of sheepish blue eyes slowly rise up from the side of the bed. Danny turned and opened his eyes just in time to meet with Danielle's. "Gahh!" he jumped, startled by her sudden appearance.

"DANNI!" he scolded, clutching a stuffed bear. Danni looked at the bear and then up at Danny. Her sheepish expression became sly as she continued to stare at the object. Danny crammed the bear back under the covers and his face was beat red. "Uh, you didn't see that!" he grinned. "So uh… what are you doing up so late Cuz?"

Danni climbed onto the bed and propped herself onto the pillow next to Danny "I - had a bad dream."

"About Vlad?"

"How'd you know?"

"Lucky guess." his eye lids drooped as glanced at the clock. "Any chance you could try going back to sleep? I have a test tomorrow."

Danni looked up at him with big blue, hopeful eyes. Danny grunted, " Okay, fine here!" he handed her the stuffed bear ,"You can take Mr. fuzzles with you!"

Danni looked down at the bear sadly, "Actually, I was kinda hoping I could hang out up here with you… just for a little while?" her lips quivered in a puppy dog pout, as she huged the stuffed animal. Danny tried to resist the obvious put on, but failed. "Okay, fine" he sighed. "But only for a little while!"

"Thanks cuz!" she smiled. "Ohhh how 'bout a story?"

"I suppose. If you think it'll help." He gets up and walks over to a nearby book shelf. "Let see, I know I saw some books here the other day. Jazz use to read them to me when I was little." He sifted through his collection if books until something caught his eye. "Ah here we go!" he pulled out a small purple covered paper back. "The Peasant Princess."

He sat back on the bed and cleared his thought as he opend the book "Once upon a time, there was a beautiful and spunky princess named Danielle…"

"Where does it say that?" She looked at the page, confused.

"Do you want to hear this or not?"

"Go on?"

"Anyway, Princess Danielle had fallen in love with a young peasant . She wanted so much to be with him, but according her father's law it was forbidden."

Danni made herself comfortable, leaning further against the pillow. As Danny continued to read, he rested his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close so that she could get a better view of the illustrations.

"One night, the princess snuck out of the castle, for she had heard rumors of a witch who lived in the mountains, just beyond the tiny village. 'Maybe the witch can help me!' she thought."  
"So, princess Danni traveled through the village and up the mountain untill finally, she found the Witch. 'How dare you disturb me!' The witch scowled.  ' Please, I come here seeking your help' begged the Princess. 'There is a peasant boy who lives in town who I am desperately in love with. But we are forbidden to be. Is there anything you can do?'"

Danni sat there, hanging on Danny's every word. "The Witch agreed to grant Danielle's wish. 'You will have your peasant love, however you will have to give up something very dear.' The witch told her. The Princess was willing to give up anything, even her own sole. "Your life as a Princess will be no more. Are you so willing to give that up for a peasant boy?' Danielle didn't say a word, she only nodded. The Witch then cast her spell. Danni awoke the next morning, but not in her usual silky, canopy bed. It was a bed of scratchy straw and ratted sheets. 'I'm a Peasant!' she cried happily."

"The first thing Danielle did was run outside to find the peasant boy she had sacrificed everything for. She would tell him of her tale and how she gave it all up just to be with him." As Danny turned the final page, he didn't notice Danni nearly drifting off to sleep. "…. So Danielle's wish had finally come true and they lived happily ever after. The End." As Danny closed the book, he felt something pressed against his chest. He looked down to find Danni who was now fast asleep. He smiled warmly, gently tucking her under the covers. He brushed the black stands of hair from her face, then gave her a kiss on the forehead. "Sweet dreams Cuz."


End file.
